


Whither Thou Goest

by Abigail (artyandabby)



Category: The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Post - Turn Coat, Pre - Changes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-13
Updated: 2014-12-13
Packaged: 2018-02-28 23:21:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2750966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artyandabby/pseuds/Abigail
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by <a href="http://taremaclay.tumblr.com/post/104443291794/captainasexual-fun-holiday-aus-for-you-to">this</a> series of holiday prompts. Black Friday goes a bit wrong for a certain Chicagoan lady cop. Fortunately, she's got someone to call.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Whither Thou Goest

Karrin Murphy’s hand moved faster than the hand of a gunslinger as she pulled a cell phone out of her coat pocket. She didn’t need to dial; just pressing the third key called his number.

She glanced around to make sure she was alone. “Harry?”

“Murph?”

Her voice was hushed with fear. “How fast can you get to the Walmart on 6th?”

A beat passed. “You’re not serious.”

“Please, Dresden.” Murphy tried to inject some steel into her voice. “Isn’t it in your job description to come whenever someone in need of help calls?”

“I do love poor, distressed damsels.”

She bit back the instinctive diatribe on her tongue and waited.

Harry’s tone was incredulous when he finally spoke again. “You really are scared, aren’t you?”

She sighed. “Please come. This place is crazy.”

“I’ll be there in five.”

_Fifteen, she noted mentally. If he can start that rustbucket car of his._ “Thanks, Harry.”

“No problem.”

“I’ll try to be at the front.” Murphy ended the call and headed off in the vague direction of what might have been the front of this hideous store. She couldn’t help muttering to herself along the way, “I am never shopping on Black Friday again.”

~oOo~

As Harry swept through the automatic doors, Murphy couldn’t help wondering to herself how often he’d gotten mistaken as for a cosplayer, or perhaps a potential kidnapper.

“I came as quickly as I could.”

_Fifteen minutes, she thought again._ “Of course you did. And you look combat-ready.”

“I left my blasting rod out in the car, but I can get it if you think I’ll need to be hitting old ladies.”

Murphy smirked. “Thanks, but no. I’ll take a rain check, though.”

Harry pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “So, what’s the mission?”

“To find Christmas presents.” She mimicked the gesture, ignoring the part of her brain that suggested she just warm her fingers with his. "For my whole family.”

His eyes widened. “No wonder you need help.”

“You got it.” She pointed to an aisle marked “Toys”, as though the flares of bright, childish colors didn’t say enough. “I figured we’d start there. You wouldn’t believe the amount of five-year-olds in my family.”

“You never know. I might.” He stepped into the aisle and pulled off the nearest toy, a Barbie wearing an extremely weather-inappropriate bikini. A woman nearby gave him a very strange look.

“Everyone here feels out to get me.” Murphy said under her breath as she peered at a few labels. “Like a pack of wolves. I hate holiday shopping.”

“I feel like I need a Santa hat to balance you out.”

“Don’t even go there, Saint Nick.”

“What do your nieces and nephews like?” Harry looked bemused. She wondered if he’d ever been shopping for a child before. Probably not. Murphy didn’t know if she should have envied him or felt sorry.

“You’ve met them.”

“At a barbecue, how many years ago? I was distracted by your sister and-” He stopped.

Murphy ignored the pit in her stomach. “She’s distracting, yeah.”

“Murphy.”

She didn’t look up.

“Karrin.” He tapped her shoulder. “Am I really worse-looking than the dead-eyed plastic dolls?”

Murphy looked up just in time to see the soccer mom give Harry a scandalized look. It was intensely satisfying.

Now that she’d looked up, Harry’s eyes were down and he was fidgeting with the edge of that ridiculous duster. “You know I’m here, right?”

“You’re a very present person, Harry, don’t worry.”

“I mean-” He huffed frustratedly. “For you.” He stepped closer, close enough that she had to tilt her head back to even dream of looking at his face. “Look, I know a little something about the holidays being lonely. So....My apartment is always open to you.”

She kept silent until she felt sure her voice wouldn’t break. “Thank you.”

“I just wanted you to know that.”

“Thank you.”

At that moment, Harry seemed to realize how close they were. He shuffled backwards awkwardly. “We don’t seem to be having much luck with fairyland. How’s about we check the action figures now? I need my shot of masculinity after being in this aisle for so long.”

“Pig.”

Harry ruffled her hair and started toward the next aisle.

It took another three hours to fill the entire list of gifts she needed for December 25th. By the time the two of them got into the parking lot, the sky was as dark as it ever got here and puffs of white snow were drifting down onto the asphalt.

Karrin sighed. “I guess I’m not getting my full allotment of temperate autumn this year, am I?”

“No warm temperatures for the wicked, apparently.” Harry stared up at the snowflakes. “Are you sure you don’t want help with any more of those?”  
“You’re carrying enough pounds to preserve your manliness, don’t worry. I weighed them for you.”

“Maybe I don’t trust you.”

She smiled grimly. “Then you would be right. Never trust me with Christmas shopping.”

The snow continued to fall around them and Murphy considered the many failing points of the holidays. At least, that was where her mind was until she felt a large hand brush over hers and, without thinking, took it.

Out of the corner of her eye, she distinctly saw a blush spread over Harry’s cheeks. Or maybe it was just the cold.

_What a silly man._

She held his hand tightly until they reached their cars.


End file.
